Less than eight weeks after taking office, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky had his first direct interaction with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders had a phone call on July 11.
The call was initiated by the Ukrainian side, the Kremlin website reported.
Zelensky and Putin discussed the resolution of the war in the Donbas, where Russian-backed forces continue to occupy parts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. They also talked about another a prisoner exchange.
A key issue in the conversation was the release of 24 Ukrainian sailors held in Russia since an attack on the Ukrainian navy on November 25, 2018, Zelensky’s office reported.
Moreover, the two leaders talked about continuing the Normandy Four format talks to end the Donbas war. The format currently involves the state leaders and foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France.
